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From laboratory to legislature: Fellowship deploys 22 researchers to government

10/31/2018

Mitacs fellows reinforce evidence-informed decision making in Ottawa and Victoria

Ottawa, ON and Victoria, BC — Beginning this fall, 22 researchers will undertake one-year placements in the federal and British Columbia governments to apply their expertise to develop policy-based solutions for pressing issues facing Canadians. The researchers, hailing from disciplines as disparate as climate change and quantum imaging, make up the 2018–19 cohort of the Canadian Science Policy Fellowship.

The Canadian Science Policy Fellowship builds relationships between academic researchers and policy-makers in support of evidence-informed decision making. The program is administered by Mitacs, a not-for-profit organization that fosters innovation and growth in Canada. Through the fellowship, accomplished PhD-holders contribute their unique research and scientific expertise to government policy-making in Ottawa and Victoria offices and receive hands-on training in public policy to support their transition from academia to government.

The recipients of the 2018–19 Canadian Science Policy Fellowship are:

Federal cohort, Ottawa

Aimee Gunther, University of Waterloo
Host: Defence Research and Development Canada
Project: Assessing the security and policy implications of public access to detailed satellite map information from commercial GPS providers

Christine Gonsalves, Laurentian University
Host: Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
Project: Incorporating diverse Indigenous voices and knowledge in the development of government policies and programs

Daniel Grégoire, University of Ottawa
Host: International Development Research Centre
Project: Understanding methods of sharing of data generated by publicly funded international development research

Elnaz Shadabi, University of Manitoba
Host: Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Project: Implementing a strategy to coordinate international responses to infectious disease outbreaks

Jaigris Hodson, Royal Roads University
Host: Environment and Climate Change Canada
Project: Evaluating how to improve and develop communication tools for sharing environment and climate change research with the public

Jespal Panesar, University of Waterloo
Host: Employment and Social Development Canada
Project: Developing new programs to address emerging social issues such as income volatility, and improving government service delivery for marginalized and at-risk Canadians

Kathlyn Woolfson, Western University
Host: Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Project: Implementing strategies to safeguard against the spread of disease and parasites in agricultural and forest products intended for export

Konstantin Petoukhov, Carleton University
Host: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Project: Bridging the gap between western and Indigenous agricultural knowledge through community consultation and the development of best practices

Lushani Nanayakkara, University of Regina
Host: Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Project: Understanding how to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into the management of aquatic ecosystems governed by the Fisheries Act

Monica Granados, University of Guelph
Host: Environment and Climate Change Canada
Project: Creating tools to support the sharing of research among government and industry organizations concerned with ecosystem resilience, climate change, northern science, and environmental prediction

Shawn McGuirk, McGill University
Host: Natural Science and Engineering Research Council
Project: Measuring how research collaborations develop skills to prepare Canadian youth for the jobs of the future and determining opportunities for improvement to policy and programs

Stefanie Sultmanis, University of Toronto
Host: Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Project: Evaluating and managing challenges in import-export regulations arising from new disease detection tools for agriculture and forestry products

Amandeep Bassi, University of Ottawa
Host: Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor General
Project: Understanding how stigma and criminalization contribute to at-risk individuals avoiding harm-reduction services designed to prevent overdose

Lisi Feng, University of British Columbia
Host: Ministry of Children & Family Development
Project: Identifying which programs have the greatest potential to create positive outcomes for child and family welfare through the implementation of best practices

Noushin Nabavi, University of British Columbia
Host: Ministry of Jobs, Trade & Technology
Project: Generating insights from program data to inform policies that address complex social and economic issues

Orly Salama-Alber, University of Victoria
Host: Ministry of Health
Project: Understanding how to determine which technologies are most cost-effective for improving service delivery in BC’s health care system

Zaheera Jinnah, University of Alberta
Host: Ministry of Children & Family Development
Project: Creating tools to encourage a culture of quality improvement from front-line staff to senior leadership throughout child and family services and programs

Quotes:

Alejandro Adem, CEO and Scientific Director, Mitacs

“Mitacs believes that building bridges between academia and the public sector can benefit all Canadians. The researchers chosen for the Canadian Science Policy Fellowship will steward this knowledge sharing as they apply their academic expertise to contribute to novel solutions for pressing societal challenges addressed by their government hosts.”

In my opinion, the Mitacs science policy fellowship is an invaluable program to attract highly qualified personnel to the Government of Canada. In fact, CFIA has now hosted nine fellows in three years. We view the program as a mutually beneficial way to introduce how the government addresses critical food safety, plant and animal health challenges to those with roots in academia. In return, we have been rewarded with talented, highly motivated, natural leaders who continue to make valuable contributions.”

Quick facts:

The Canadian Science Policy Fellowship is made possible thanks to Professor Sarah Otto, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia; the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia; the University of Ottawa’s Institute for Science, Society and Policy; the University of Victoria; and the Canadian Science Policy Fellowship Advisory Council.

Mitacs is a national not-for-profit organization, led by Canadian universities, that has designed and delivered research and training programs in Canada for more than 19 years.

Working with more than 60 universities, thousands of companies, and federal and provincial governments, Mitacs builds partnerships that support industrial and social innovation in Canada.

Links:

To learn more about the Science Policy fellows, read biographies of the Ottawa and Victoria cohorts.